What can you do to your property without a listed building consent?
You can carry out ordinary maintenance and basic repairs to a listed building without obtaining listed building consent, provided they are carried out using traditional materials and techniques on a ‘like-for-like’ basis in design, materials, and finish. However, if you plan to alter, extend, or demolish a listed building in a way that affects its character or appearance as a building of special architectural or historic interest, you must first apply for Listed Building Consent (LBC) from your Local Planning Authority (LPA). You should check with your LPA conservation officer whether consent will be needed for what you plan to do and get an outline of what might be acceptable.
We recommend a pre-application consultation with the LPA conservation officer to ensure a smooth process.
Unauthorised works on a listed building are a criminal offence, and the LPA can insist that all work carried out without consent be reversed. An owner will have difficulty selling a property if the work carried out has not been granted LBC. You probably won’t need consent if you’re replacing old materials with new ones on a ‘like-for-like’ basis and the repair work doesn’t affect the building's character. However, it would be wise to check with the LPA before making repairs.
